Advanced infertility treatment in Central Oregon

If you have been trying to get pregnant and are just not seeing that “+” sign on the pregnancy test, it may be time to seek a professional opinion. At St. Charles Health System, our Center for Women’s Health offers advanced infertility treatment in Central Oregon.

Our obstetricians and infertility specialists understand the frustration of not being able to conceive, which is why we will sit down with you to discuss your options for starting a family. No matter the reason for you or your partner’s infertility, we can suggest treatment options that will help increase the chances of conceiving.

Helping you start a family at St. Charles Center for Women’s Health

Our Central Oregon infertility specialists can offer you or your partner the following treatments to try and restore fertility and increase your odds of getting pregnant.

• Treatment for reproductive infections
• Assisted reproductive technology
• Hormone replacement
• Fertility drugs
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• Surgery

Meet with one of our Central Oregon infertility specialists

Interested in meeting with one of our infertility specialists to see if we can help you get pregnant? Schedule an appointment at St. Charles Center for Women’s Health today. We look forward to being your support system while you start a family.

Our Center for Women’s Health is proud to provide infertility services to men and women in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras and surrounding areas of Central Oregon.

During your visit, our caring gynecologists will consider your age and overall health to recommend the right type of contraception for your individual needs. Our women's health clinics offer a variety of birth control options.

If you’re looking for the most effective forms of birth control, or have questions like “what is the safest birth control pill,” our compassionate providers can help guide you through your options.

At the Center for Women’s Health in Central Oregon, we offer the following types of female birth control:

• Oral birth control pills: Oral contraceptives are one of the most common forms of birth control, contain a combination of progestin and estrogen and are most effective when taken at the same time every day.
• Intrauterine device (IUD): A flexible device that is inserted into the uterus by your physician.
• Birth control implant: A contraceptive implant is inserted into the subdermal tissue of the upper arm (typically your non-dominant arm). This may be a good choice if you can’t use estrogen.
• Birth control shots: If you think you might have difficulty keeping track of a weekly patch or daily pill, this method of contraception may be ideal.

How effective is birth control?

How well a contraceptive performs will depend on the type prescribed by your physician. Hormonal contraception such as “the pill” is one of the most commonly used methods of birth control. When taken correctly, the pill is up to 99.9% effective.

It’s important to remember that the pill does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (such as the HIV virus that causes AIDS). A latex male condom offers the most protection against most STDs. Our providers can help you decide which method is right for you and explain the effectiveness of each during your visit. 

What are possible side effects of birth control?

At the Center for Women's Health, our trusted providers go above and beyond in offering guidance and education about the side effects of various forms of contraception. While not everyone will experience the same results, it’s important to know about the possible side effects of each.

General side effects of birth control may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Acne
• Bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods
• Tenderness, enlargement or discharge from breast
• Brown or black skin patches
• Variations in menstrual flow
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Increase or decrease in appetite
• Nausea
• Painful or missed periods
• Stomach cramps or bloating
• Vomiting
• Weight gain or weight loss
   

If you or a loved one would like to speak with a women's health provider about reproductive health and contraception, contact one of our women’s health providers in Redmond, Prineville, Bend and Sisters. At St. Charles, we’re committed to providing the highest quality care for every stage of your life journey.

Family planning at the Center for Women's Health

Whether or not you're planning to start a family, our experienced team of providers at the St. Charles Center for Women’s Health can help guide you through a range of options and services based on your individual needs.

Why is family planning important?

Family planning allows women to control birth spacing and family size, and contributes to improved health for infants, children and women. What’s more, family planning helps to prevent unintended pregnancies, which are associated with many negative health and economic consequences.

I’m ready to start a family

Congratulations! You’ve come to the right place. If you’re thinking about getting pregnant, you probably have a lot of questions. When you schedule an appointment, our health care providers may talk with you about stopping your birth control method, and how to optimize your overall health to grow a baby.

I don’t wish to become pregnant. What are my contraception choices?

If you don’t wish to become pregnant, actively preventing pregnancy is a great choice. There are a range of birth control options, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Read more about your birth control options, and then make an appointment with one of our providers. We’ll help guide you through the best option for your lifestyle.

I’m struggling to conceive

Many women struggle to become pregnant. You’re not alone. At the St. Charles Center for Women’s Health, our team of nurse practitioners and OB-GYNs have helped countless families identify the cause and chart a plan for care. Learn more about our infertility services.

Osteoporosis treatment in Central Oregon

Osteoporosis is often called the "silent disease" because you could have it now or be at-risk without even realizing it. People cannot feel their bones getting weaker.

If you have experienced a fracture due to a ground-level fall and are admitted to St. Charles Bend, you will meet with our orthopedic nurse navigator to discuss your bone health. We will meet you in your room to discuss risk factors and educate you on osteoporosis. Our program is designed to coordinate patient care among different specialties and physicians for each patient, to close the gap between physician treatment recommendations and to reduce incidence of future fractures and impact of osteoporosis.

We will provide you with materials and education to help you have a conversation about your bone health with your practitioner, helping to prevent future fractures.

• 1 in 4 men and 1 in 2 women over the age of 50 are diagnosed with osteoporosis
• Nearly 25 percent of patients who suffer a hip fracture die within a year, those who do survive often experience a loss of independence and may require long-term nursing home care
• A person with osteoporosis can break a bone from a minor fall or simply from a sneeze or bumping into furniture
• If you are a woman or man with small bones, you're more likely to develop osteoporosis. But that doesn't mean larger or heavier people don't also end up with the disease

What can I do to protect my bones?

• Get enough Calcium and Vitamin D and eat a well-balanced diet.
• Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise
• Eat foods that are good for bone health, such as fruits and vegetables and understand what foods can affect your bones
• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to two to three drinks per day
• Talk to your health care provider about your bone health
• Engage in balance and strengthening exercises recommended for you
• Be compliant with the plan that your health care provider puts together for you. Don't become a statistic

How can I prevent falls?

Each year about one-third of all persons over the age of 65 will fall.

• Don't get up too quickly after eating, sitting or lying flat
• Talk to your health care professional or pharmacist about the side affects of drugs you take. Some can make you feel dizzy
• Have your vision and hearing checked regularly
• Slow down. You are more likely to fall if you are in a hurry
• Place switches within reach of your bed and a night light between the bedroom and bathroom
• Install grab bars on the bathroom walls beside the tub, shower and toilet
• Keep floors free of clutter. Remove all loose wires, cords and throw rugs from your home

What to ask your doctor

• How can I prevent osteoporosis?
• Are there ways to keep osteoporosis from worsening?
• Can medications taken for other illnesses cause bone loss?
• How can I prevent fractures?
• How frequently can I have a bone density test?
• How much calcium and vitamin D do I need everyday and how can I get enough of these nutrients?
• How much exercise do I need to boost bone strength and what exercises do you recommend?

For more information, call 541-706-2989.

Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation

We provide:

• Knee Arthroscopy
• Back and neck surgery (including fusion)
• Carpal tunnel surgery
• Hand and foot surgery
• Orthopedic trauma care
• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Total hip replacement
• Total knee replacement

“It’s worth it when you have a kid that’s leaving with a smile on their face, and they’re showing people out in the waiting room, like ‘I was brave. Look what I got.’ As opposed to walking out of here sobbing. It makes me happy, because they’re leaving here with a positive experience. This wasn’t just coming to the lab and getting poked. It adds a lot to how they feel about their visit.”

-Beka, phlebotomist, on the extra effort it takes to create cute animals out of bandage wrap for kids who have their blood drawn at St. Charles Bend. Beka has been making "coban creatures" every work day for several years, including elephants, pandas, giraffes, porcupines and other, more exotic animals. She even takes requests, and she tries to fulfill them all.

When asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, emphysema, cystic fibrosis (CF), muscular dystrophy or other neuromuscular disorders compromise your ability to breathe freely, it’s essential to have access to medical professionals who can keep your airways clear and lungs functioning to their maximum capacity. Pulmonary lung hygiene, or chest physical therapy, is a medical term used to define the types of treatments used in many settings — at home and in places like critical care units or hospitals — to help your lungs and body receive more oxygen and promote peak respiratory health.

St. Charles Respiratory Care pulmonologists and advanced practice professionals work with respiratory and physical therapists to prevent the buildup of phlegm and mucus secretions from lungs that can lead to acute respiratory failure, pneumonia and, in some cases, suffocation. Many patients who need pulmonary lung hygiene may end up being admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU). Suctioning, nebulizers and expectorant drugs are other treatments used in addition to the therapy procedures that can vary from patient to patient.

Treating respiratory failure

Following a thorough evaluation of each patient’s current condition, the pulmonary critical care team utilizes physical or respiratory therapists to help patients with impaired pulmonary function through a variety of chest PT procedures. These include:

• Coughing several times each day to break up lung secretions so that mucus can be suctioned or spit out.
• Turning from one side to the other and, when necessary, elevating the head of the bed to promote mucus drainage.
• Deep breathing while sitting up, which allows lungs to expand and forces air into all areas.
• Postural draining in which the patient goes into a head/chest down position so that gravity can drain lung secretions into the airway, where they are suctioned out or coughed up.
• Percussion (also called cupping or clapping) through rhythmic striking of the chest wall with cupped hands on each portion of the lungs in order to break up thick secretions.
• Vibration can use mechanical or manual means to break up lung secretions, and involves placing the hands against a person’s chest and creating quick vibrations through contracting and relaxing the shoulder and arm muscles while the person breathes deeply and exhales.

St. Charles Health System offers a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program for patients with COPD, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Call 541-706-2696 for further information. If you’d like additional details about our respiratory care program, call 541-706-5860.

The comprehensive respiratory care services at St. Charles Bend in Oregon include a staff that is known for its excellence in evaluating, treating and caring for patients who experience a variety of respiratory disorders.

Every year, we earn high marks for noninvasive pulmonary testing:

• 6-minute walk for endurance: measuring how much exercise the lungs can handle
• Diffusion: measuring how well oxygen passes from lungs into bloodstream
• Lung volume: measuring to help determine if lung disease is present
• Methacholine Challenge: the gold standard for diagnosing asthma
• Spirometry: measuring indicators of lung health — air flow and volume

Pulmonary fibrosis symptoms in Central Oregon

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that results in the scarring of lung tissue. Over time, this scarring limits how well a person can breathe. In most cases, the cause of pulmonary fibrosis is unknown and is referred to as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In other cases, the cause of pulmonary fibrosis may be linked to cigarette smoking, environmental pollutants such as gases, fumes, hard metal dusts and silica, certain viral infections, or a family history of pulmonary fibrosis. Symptoms of this lung condition include:

• Shortness of breath, especially during exercise
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Tiredness
• Aching muscles and joints
• Dry, hacking cough
• Gradual and unintended weight loss

If you or a loved one has a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis or symptoms of this disease, look to the respiratory experts at the St. Charles Pulmonary Clinics in Bend and Redmond, Oregon.

Find pulmonary fibrosis treatment at the St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic

The specialized team of physicians and respiratory therapists at the St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic develop a personalized plan of care based on every patient’s condition, each plan focused on a lessening of symptoms and a faster recovery. While there is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis — once the lungs are scarred the damage is irreversible — treatment may slow the worsening of this condition. The range of treatment options available at St. Charles include:

• Oxygen therapy
• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Medications
• Lung transplant

The most effective way to determine which type of treatment option is best for you is to schedule an appointment with a St. Charles respiratory therapist. To schedule an appointment or for more information on our range of respiratory services, call 541-706-7715 today.

The St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic provides treatment for pulmonary fibrosis in Central Oregon.

What Is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that causes the air sacs, called alveoli, to fill with pus. It’s most commonly caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Typical pneumonia symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Wet cough with thick white, yellow, green or brown phlegm

Pneumonia is a fairly common condition that can affect almost anyone at any time of the year. However, it’s most common in smokers and people who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases.

In many mild to moderate cases, pneumonia does not require hospitalization. But in severe cases, or in patients with chronic diseases or compromised immune systems, pneumonia complications can be fast-moving and life-threatening.

Treating Pneumonia

Unlike a cold or flu, pneumonia isn’t its own disease. In fact, it’s usually a complication of other diseases. This is why pneumonia must be treated differently in different cases. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, but viral pneumonia cannot.

The severity of the pneumonia will also determine the course of treatment. Mild to moderate cases in otherwise healthy adults can be treated at home once the patient has been checked out by a doctor. This may include:

• Using a cool-mist vaporizer to ease breathing
• Medication to reduce aches and fever
• Bronchodilator medications, administered with an inhaler
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Rest

Severe cases of pneumonia — or pneumonia in infants, elderly adults or individuals with chronic diseases — may require hospitalization. Depending upon the patient’s condition and source of the infection, treatment may include some or all of the above in addition to any of the following:

• Intravenous antibiotics
• Oxygen therapy
• Intubation of the airway
• Suctioning out thick phlegm

When to Seek Medical Attention

With some illnesses, it’s okay to “wait and see” before seeking medical care. This is not a good idea when it comes to pneumonia. With pneumonia, there are two levels of urgency: “act soon” and “act immediately.”

Act soon (within 24 hours) if:

• The patient is an otherwise healthy adult
• The symptoms are mild to moderate
• The color of the patient’s lips and fingernails is normal

Act immediately (go to the ER or call 9-1-1) if:

• The patient is an infant or elderly adult
• The symptoms are severe
• The color of the patient’s lips or fingernails turns bluish
• The patient becomes groggy or loses consciousness

Remember: it’s better to get checked out and sent home than it is to delay care until things get serious.

Fighting Pneumonia | Central Oregon

If you or a family member is experiencing symptoms of pneumonia, the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center is here to help. Our expert physicians and staff provide advanced respiratory care services for both children and adults. Our wide array of specialties and team-based approach means that we’re fully equipped to deal with everything from the simplest to most complicated cases.

Not sure where to go, or have other questions? Call us at 541-706-7715. We’re here to help.

The St. Charles Heart and Lung Center offers advanced respiratory care for patients with pneumonia in Central Oregon.